Utilization of Fish and Shellfish Waste: Production of Bio-pesticides Through Composting

The goal of this multi-disciplinary research project is to produce an organic fertilizer, which also contains naturally derived pesticides for use on golf courses and lawns. There is an increasing demand by society and by government regulators for non-synthetic pesticides and for organic-based fertilizers. Golf course and lawn owners are the likely consumers for these “designer lawn care” products.

Recent literature has suggested that shrimp and crab waste is a good substrate for the production of two lawn care products: 1) an antifungal- active compost produced from a two-phase composting process using shrimp shell waste and 2) the bio-insecticide, bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spores grown on shrimp waste media.